Lukaku curled home from 20 yards, with Palace keeper Steve Mandanda furious his wall did not jump.

But that was nothing compared to the visitors’ anger after the break. Again there were shades of a proper Friday night, when rows almost turned into a punch-up. Palace had been outplayed in the first half, and were lucky not to be further behind, the pace of their old boy Yannick Bolasie causing nightmares for his former team-mates.

Yet they looked a different side straight from the restart, levelling through a magnificent header from £28million signing Christian Benteke, who rose above Seamus Coleman to direct Joel Ward’s cross deliciously into the top corner.

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And with such momentum came perhaps the defining moment of the game – and the drama that made this an entertaining evening.

Everton were stunned when Ward again provided the cross for Damien Delaney to this time head home on 57 minutes.

Except linesman Simon Bennett’s flag was raised to indicate an offside no one saw, not even the home defence.

Initially it was thought he had flagged James Tomkins, who was certainly offside, but not interfering. In fact, Bennett had correctly adjudged James McArthur, who was also offside, had made a clear motion towards the ball that distracted the Everton keeper.

Cue Palace fury – the seven pints of Stella kind – as their players surrounded the officials in pushing, prodding disbelief. Yet it was the right decision from the assistant.

Benteke headed in the equaliser (Image: Reuters)

Palace were value for their point (Image: PA Wire)

That allowed Everton a route back into the game, and really, given their chances, they should have wrapped up all three points to move to second in the table, not least when the otherwise excellent Idrissa Gueye missed a sitter from close range.

Bolasie saw one acrobatic effort drift wide, and then Jason Puncheon cleared Gareth Barry’s header off the line as Everton found a second wind.